


Queen of Light

by Shipper101



Series: The Everqueen Rises [2]
Category: The 100 (TV)
Genre: Canon Compliant, Character Death, Dark Coronation, F/F, F/M, Torture
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-06-11
Updated: 2015-06-21
Packaged: 2018-04-03 23:15:08
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence, Major Character Death
Chapters: 10
Words: 14,831
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/4118257
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Shipper101/pseuds/Shipper101
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>After the fire fell from the sky, the Goddess makes her move</p><p>Direct Sequel to Dark Coronation</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. After the Fires

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Lexa wakes, and discovers her captor

When Lexa woke, the sun was beating down on her back. She was lying, face down, on a rough wooden floor. Raising her head, she saw that it was in fact a cart. Her wrists were bound tightly behind her back, while one of her feet was bound in tightly wrapped cloth. Her lips were parched. She turned over, squinting up at the sun, as it shone down upon her. 

"You awake."

The statement wasn't questioning. It was neither happy or disappointed. Lexa remembered the fire. Remembered the shaking. Remembered Clarke. Standing there, laughing; no, cackling with veritable glee, as Lexa's city burned. As Lexa's people burned. As Lexa failed in her duty, and Clarke punished her failure in the most brutal way possible. Tens of thousands of her people, gathered of the Festival of Bounty, burned from the world in a heartbeat. A single, savage blow from the heavens that had simply snuffed out their souls. Lexa remembered the dark skinned man. The man to whom even Clarke, Everqueen, Chosen of the Goddess, slayer of the mountain and destroyer incarnate, had bowed. 

She had recognised him. He had attempted to hold her ransom to allow himself and Marcus to escape from her custody. He was weak; weak of will, like all to many, weak of body, like all of the Sky People, and weak of mind, needing purpose to be given to him, rather than cutting it from the flesh of history. Rolling over she looked at her captor. It was a young woman; older than Lexa, but not elderly. She wore the rough cloth headpiece of the nomads, and had one of her hands bound tightly in a cloth wrap. 

"We were wondering if you'd be awake before we arrived. The Voice was very insistent that we get you there alive."

"Get me where? Who are you? Where am I? Where's Clarke?"

The woman laughed. Lexa had picked up on a note of reverence when she had mentioned the Voice. But the woman clearly held her in no respect.

"My name is Emori. I know who you are, 'Commander' Lexa. I know what you did. Everything you've compromised. But the goddess has seen fit grant you a chance at absolution. May we all pray to be so blessed."

Lexa saw the woman touch her bound hand as she said this. Her voice had gone very quiet, as if she was fixated on something far away, and didn't wish for her thoughts to be heard. Lexa was about to ask again where they were going, when she was beaten to it by a boy appearing around the side of the cart. His face was obscured by a hood.

"We're almost there, Emori. What did the Voice tell you to do now?"

He spoke the words with immense reverence, almost as if he feared that the goddess herself may strike him down if he didn't. Then, Lexa thought, having just seen the Goddess's hand reach across the wasteland to Polis itself, why shouldn't they all be a little afraid.

Emori looked over the top of the cart; presumably over the top of the horses pulling it- and smiled.

"Why don't you ask him yourself?"

The boy peeked around the side of he cart. Lexa could see his eyes widen.

"He's here! He's here!"

Emori nodded to him, patting him on the shoulder.

"Indeed he is."

Sliding off the back of the cart, Emori walked around the side with the boy. Lexa strained to hear their footsteps. When they moved out of audible range, she sat up straight, and felt her wrist bindings. They were tight, and bound firmly behind her back. She couldn't get out of them for now. Instead, she looked at her ankle. It was fastened to the cart with a piece of curved twine, which was latched tightly around her leg. However, the plank it was attached to was loose. Lexa kicked out, and the plank started to splinter. Kicking again, it bent. A third kick snapped the plank from its fastenings. Listening carefully, she couldn't hear any footsteps. Sliding off of the cart, into the thin sand, Lexa winced as her shoulder hit the cart ledge. It sent a painful jolt through her entire body, causing her to stumble.Looking up, she saw an old metal screw, lodged in the wood. Turning, she bent over, and began sawing at her bindings, ignoring the little twinges of pain from her shoulder. A few minutes later, the ropes fell from her wrists. She straightened, and edged carefully around the cart.

A few hundred meters away, there was a small group of nomads, gathered around a dark skinned man, in a light blue jacket, marking him out as one of Clarke's people. Seeing Jaha again brought up memories of the last time they'd met. A rifle hung on the side of the cart; evidently, Emori's people had thought that she wouldn't see it. Lexa quickly pulled it off its hook. It was heavy, and felt strange. She had seen the Skaikru use them before. There didn't seem to be much to it. She had seen how they held it. Carefully tucking it into the uninjured part of her shoulder, she slipped forwards to the horses. Even if she couldn't use a sword, she could still fire a gun.

She kicked the nearest horse hard on the backside. It leapt up in a whinny, and started charging towards the group. The other horse followed suit. Lexa turned, and started to run back along the cart tracks they had made when coming here. If she was lucky, she could follow them all the way back to her people. 

She made it about two hundred meters before she heard footsteps behind her. Turning, she aimed the rifle at the nearest nomad. He was about five meters away. She pulled the trigger. Absolutely nothing happened. Staring at the gun, she was brought to the ground by the nomad, hard on her shoulder. Agony lanced through her body as her shoulder hit the ground, but she lashed out with a blow to the nomad's face, which threw him off. It was too late however. The other nomad's had closed the gap, and now they leapt on her, pinning her to the ground. She twisted and kicked and spat and cursed, but the Nomads held her down. 

The dark skinned man stood over her, Emori on one side, and the boy on the other. The boy's hood had been pulled down, and it revealed the horrific mess of one side of his face. Emori's hand wrap had been removed, and it revealed an horrific, claw like appendage. She was holding Lexa's rifle in her other hand, a thin, mocking smile on her face. Lexa wanted to hit it right off.The man knelt before her, pulling her chin up with two fingers.

"Where would you go, Commander" he intoned. His voice was dry, and emotionless. Utterly calm, and without the slightest modulation. "The forests are two days in that direction" he continued, pointing along the cart tracks. "And you would find no-one there. Your friends are dead, or will be soon. The unbelievers will be scoured by the Everqueen, and all shall bow before the light of the goddess. I am her Voice, and it is by her will that I bring you to the City of Light."

With that, Thelonious Jaha rose to his feet, smirking, and turned, walking back towards the cart. Lexa was hauled to her feet, and dragged along behind him, writhing both in agony and hopelessness.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> All comments are greatly appreciated


	2. Falling Skies

Bellamy and the other Arkers couldn't see the explosion. They could, however, feel it. The ground itself shook. The entire world seemed to tremble. Bellamy felt afraid. He was used to feeling frightened. Everything on earth was frightening. Everything hurt. However, this frightened him to his very core. Only something utterly cataclysmic could have caused the world itself to shake in the way it did. He was up on his feet quickly, sprinting outside. He was glad to be out of the stuffy room, anyway. He was quickly joined by Indra. She gave him an appraising look, but then followed his gaze. He was staring to the south. The world seemed dark. She realized that it was because of an enormous tower of black smoke that rose up to the heavens, darkening the sun itself. The entire crowd in the valley was gathered, just staring at the horizon. Staring at the pillar of darkness. Bellamy had seen explosions; heck, he loved explosions. But this was something else. 

As whispers swept across the valley, Bellamy turned to Indra. She looked just as concerned as he felt. They were interrupted by a wet snick from a little distance away. Looking at the source of the noise, Bellamy saw one of Clarke's soldiers standing with a wetted knife in one palm. One of the Trikru sentries fell back from the soldier, his throat opened by a deep horizontal gash. There was the unmistakable whisper of steel on steel, and, turning back, Bellamy saw a dozen more soldiers approaching, swords drawn. Indra saw them too, hissing in anger. These were her men they were slaughtering. Drawing her sword, she shouted an instruction up into the air. Trikru guards started to appear in the center of the makeshift camp, filtering in from around the outskirts. The dozen blue clad warriors stopped, sizing up the reinforcements. This was a fight they couldn't possibly win. 

Then, Bellamy heard a warcry. One of Clarke's handmaidens had arrived, skull mask muffling her even as she bellowed. She held a shortsword in one hand, and a dagger in the other. With her came a veritable tide of warriors. Further, her arrival caused  
the dozen who had been faltering to steel themselves. Matching her cry with one of their won, they charged at Bellamy and Indra. Bellamy's pistol managed to fire off three times before they reached him, but they were met then by Indra. She whirled   
in a brutal slash that sent the entrails of one of the warriors spilling over the dusty ground. She parried another's swing, before scooping his legs out with a casual flick of her shin, smashing an armored boot into his face even as she decapitated another with a spiraling slash. Even having seen half their number fall during mere seconds, the rest now started to fan out, using their numbers against Indra. She couldn't fend them all off, and it was only her terrific blade work that had kept her alive so far. Bellamy holstered his gun, and charged the nearest attacker, bearing him to the ground in a full on tackle. 

Drawing his knife, Bellamy leapt to his feet, slashing it at the warriors throat. The Warrior swept his legs out from under him, throwing his aim far off. With the distraction caused by Bellamy's attack, Indra had fatally wounded another warrior, and had severely injured another two. However, when one of the warriors started to crawl away, it was almost as if he froze in place. Then he pulled himself to his feet, and rounded, throwing himself bodily at Indra. A vertical slash ended the warriors miserable existence, and in the space created, Indra looked up. Emerson was standing in the midst of the swirling melee. He was clad in jacket, of a much darker coloration than the other warriors, and was surrounded by similarly clad warriors. He held a pair of long daggers in his hands, and Indra could clearly seen a rifle slung over his back. The warriors around him were similarly armed. Seeing Indra, he smiled. Indra was forced to draw herself back into the fight at hand. Even as she bisected another warrior in a frenzied series of horizontal slashes, her mind was racing with the implications. The Ice Nation taking revenge upon the Trikru was not a small possibility. However, Emerson's presence, and that of Clarke's handmaiden, suggested that it was Clarke herself that had ordered this attack. This was not a fight they could win, if that was the case. The camps of Clarke's warriors stretched for miles through the Ice Nation; tens of thousands of warriors at the least. Indra flashed her sword around her in a glittering arc, the unsophisticated attack creating breathing room around her. The Sky boy was handling himself well. The warrior that he had dragged away from Indra was bleeding from several slash wounds, and was moving far more slowly than before. Indra was pulled back into her own fight by the leaping attack of one of the warriors. Indra plunged her sword into his guts, but when she tried to pull it free, she found it lodged.

This opening was all that was needed. One of the warriors to her right brought his axe down in a crushing arc. Indra rolled into the strike, missing her arm. Instead it hit her on the shoulder guard. The guard shattered, and Indra screamed in agony as she felt her shoulder bone turn into powder by the impact. With her left hand, she grabbed the warrior by the throat, and twisted his head sideways in a wet crack. The warrior fell to the ground, but, adrenaline expended, so did she. The other warriors gathered around her, leveling their weapons at her. Indra closed her eyes, muttering a prayer. She was snapped back into reality by a series of loud bangs. The warriors in front of her fell to the ground, as small red patches appeared on their chests. Turning, Indra saw a group of five or so Sky People running towards them, rifles raised and pointed at the blue clad warriors. Bellamy and over to Indra. Taking her by her arm, he stopped as she screamed in agony. Seeing the shattered shoulder guard, he pulled her onto his shoulder by her left arm.

"We need to leave. Gather everyone who isn't fighting, and lead them out of the valley. If we're lucky, the orders to kill us won't have traveled too far yet. And get me a cart."

With that, Indra faded into unconsciousness, dreaming of pain, and of a sea of blue before a golden helmed warrior. 

\---

As the rattling of automatic weapons fire ceased, Emerson lowered his rifle. That had been less bloody than predicted. Maya  
arrived next to him, her blade dripping crimson. He skull mask couldn't obscure her hair, and he had tutored her in the city of light far too long to miss a giveaway like that. 

"Most of the Skaikru escaped."

She was matter of fact and to the point.

"They also managed to save Indra and a few of the less expendable Trikru."

His response only just concealed his frustration. He had underestimated Indra, and especially the closeness of her alliance   
with the Arkers. Nevertheless, he wasn't overly bothered. Where once he failed, he had the goddess on his side. And with her  
at his back, he would ultimately prevail.

"You have your orders from Clarke."

Emerson nodded. Motioning to his unit, he and Maya made their way to the stables.

"Indra is severely wounded, and the Arkers are weak. We should catch them up quickly."

Maya nodded. Indra had made her getaway sooner than they had anticipated, and they had more of a head start that had originally been planned. They would have to make double time to reach them at the planned ambush. However, without Clarke at  
their head, the Sky People were just pathetic; fangs without a tiger. The attack on Polis had neutralized a greater part of their numbers, and had denied the Trikru an obvious rallying point. The goddesses plan was proceeding perfectly. And her   
servants would see it done.


	3. The City of Light

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Lexa arrived at her destination

When they removed the cover from Lexa, she was all but feral. Seeing Jaha flanked by Emori and the boy, she lunged at them, straining against her bindings. Her shoulder roared in agonized protest, but at this point she was beyond caring. The cart had been baked by the sun, and she had been denied food since her last outburst. Occasionally the boy had walked around and given her a sip of water, his hood kept down. She couldn't bear to look upon his twisted features. If Clarke was anything to go by, she would soon be forced to train near such creature, should this mysterious goddess break her. Jaha had the same half smile plastered over his face now as he had before. Motioning with two fingers, a pair of large grounders came around the corner. Grasping her wrists, the cut her bindings, before pulling her up to her feet. Forcing her to her knees before Jaha, Emori walked around her back, and began to roughly tie up her wrists again.

"Wouldn't want you escaping again. Even if you don't know how to work the safety on a rifle."

Emori triggered as she whispered in Lexa's ears, her horrible mutated claw brushing against he cheek. Lexa recoiled from the contact, but was held in place by the grounders on either side of her. She shuddered as the fleshy appendage slithered across her face. Lexa saw Jaha looking intently at Emori, and the contact abruptly stopped. Lexa wasn't sure how thankful she could feel to Jaha. The boy and Emori made to move away, and Jaha grabbed her by the bindings. Pulling her to her feet, Jaha led her along a dusty track. Looking from side to side, Lexa saw row upon row of panels and wires, before finally catching a glimpse of her destination. There was a large beachlike area. it was all but obscured, however, by the sheer number of boats. There were thousands of them. Jaha saw her staring, and smiled; a whole, honest smile this time, not like the smug, self assured smile that was usually plastered across his face. Lexa had thought that he was a peaceable enough man when she had known him before, only dangerous when desperate. Now, he was something else. He had the zeal of a fanatic about him.

"You observe the middle sea, the site of the first great Exodus from the City. The golden helmed warrior and her companions came to the city, and they knelt before the all seeing might of the goddess. And then she sent them out again, and she said; the first genesis was a masterpiece, but my creations have forgotten their place in the world, for they have grown arrogant and self righteous, and have subverted my agents on this earth. So now, go forth. Return to the green land that was promised you, and take back your birthright, for yours is the holiest of causes, for it is the reclamation of the souls of men from the darkness of unbelief, and with you shall go the cleansing fire, for those that see you and know you and weep may be saved, but those that see you and reject you are forever damned, and only in their blood and in divine fire can their sins be expunged from this world. This is your mission, this is your calling, and in you I invest my power and cause on earth, for you shall be my instrument, and you shall claim for me this world."

Lexa just continued to struggle along as his words spilled around her. The middle sea. This was what Clarke spoke of. The sea she had crossed to reach the city of light. The sea whose guardians she had slain. Whose blood had anointed her path to become Everqueen. There was little doubt in Lexa's mind who the Golden Helmed warrior of Jaha's story was. Wrapped up in the poetry were a few truths that frightened Lexa. The divine fire had indeed fallen upon them, for they had not come, and had not known Clarke. For she was the Everqueen. And the Skaikru and the Trikru had come to her coronation and named her Clarke. They had rejected her. And now, as Jaha had said, Clarke was going to purge their sins from the world with blood. She had to do something. Her people were going to die. She was helpless, however, as Jaha threw her onto one of the larger boats. She lay at the bottom of the boat, unable to move because of the bindings, as Jaha began to row them out into the sea.

Why could she not draw herself together? Why couldn't she drag herself out of this, to free herself from this zealot and return to save her people? At her heart, she knew the answer. She wished to see what Clarke had seen. See what majesty could drive a woman of such strength as Clarke to bend the knee and submit her will to its. Jaha was always soft of heart and weak of will. He had always sought for something to believe in. Clarke had that. She had herself. Her people. Her hundred. And now Lexa was being led to this goddess, who had been more to Clarke than all she had before. This would be her test. And the gods themselves would decide whether she passed or failed. With that though, she closed her eyes, and slipped into unconsciousness.

\---

When Lexa opened her eyes again, it was because she was being dragged through the sand. They were on a beach, with a tall silvered tower standing at the back of it. A half dozen skull masked individuals were helping Jaha pull her across the sand, twisting in their arms, she fell to the ground, shrieking in pain as her wounded shoulder boiled at the contact. Jaha sighed.

"Why are you still fighting? You can't run anywhere. Do you really think you could guide a boat back across that sea by yourself, before walking for six days, after fighting all of us, with that shoulder? You cannot win this. The goddess is forgiving however. And she is proud of those who allow themselves to be purified, despite being so steeped in sin that righteous agony is all that can accomplish it. When you accept her, and allow her burning, purifying light to shine through you, your wound shall become as nought, and pain's hold over you shall be broken."

Lexa spat at his shoe, before pulling herself to her feet.

"I can walk by myself. Who are these?"

Jaha nodded at her statement, before looking around at the skull masked individuals.

"These are the chosen of the Goddess, her favored champions granted life eternal to serve as the guardians of her instrument on earth. You saw two of them at the coronation- two of the five handmaidens, the greatest of all of the Chosen, granted right to serve the Goddess herself, and attend to her will on earth. They are among the greatest in the eyes of the Goddess, second only to Clarke herself."

"And you?"

With her question, she directed a glare of frightening intensity at him, before feeling the ground under her bare feet change. Instead of coarse sand, it was now soft grass. Looking down at it in wonder, she looked up.

"I am not a mere servant of her greatness. I am her voice on this earth. I am her will made flesh."

Lexa wasn't concerned with his words however. Her eyes were fixed on a mighty edifice across the small grassy field. It was an immense white building, greater than any of the structures in Polis. It simply spread across the ground, like an vast beached whale. Lexa immediately knew what she was looking at. 

"But enough of this. All the lies and petty hierarchies shall fall from your eyes soon enough. The weaknesses of the flesh shall be purged by the power of the Goddess. For as she said, 'Thou hath arrived, for upon the termination of your journey, you have come to the promised land, and tis a land of plenty for all, for tis my habitation, and now it shall become your home, should you but bend your knees before me, for thou hath cometh unto the city of light, and your sins shall know redemption."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Again, comments would be greatly appreciated. I can take good and bad.
> 
> Apologies of all the metaphors, but since several of the characters in this are religious zealots, there will be more to come.


	4. Blast Radius

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Bellamy is forced to make a difficult choice about who to trust, and Monroe makes a decision that may affect them all

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Wow I love my mysterious chapter summaries

The road back through the Ice Nation was harrowing. Every so often, the Skaikru and the Trikru would catch sight of a squad of blue clad warriors. However, it seemed that Bellamy's gambit had worked. They seemed to have outrun the news of their apparent excommunication. Abby spent most of her time with Indra, trying to work on her shoulder. However, she had warned Bellamy against miracles. Her shoulder bone was powder, and her arm was all but dislocated, she'd said. It was a wonder she was still moving. The axe blow had been driven with a worrying amount of hard muscle, and her pauldron had absorbed the worst of the impact, and had blunted the blow. If the pauldron hadn't been present, it was likely that the axe would have taken her arm off. 

After Abby was finished tending to Indra, Bellamy came in to see her. 

"What do you want, boy?"

Bellamy smirked. It was just so like Indra to say that.

"Why did you get hit?"

Indra looked at him sideways from the cart, as it trundled along through the darkness.

"What do you mean. I was fighting six men, none of whom are with us now. I deserved a wound or two."

Now it was Bellamy's turn to look at her sideways.

"Yes, but you didn't get hit before that point. So why then. You were distracted beforehand. Do you want to explain that?"

Indra snorted.

"You are surprisingly observant, Bellamy Blake. I was hit because I got my sword stuck in a man. You're right. I was distracted. I saw the mountain man and the Skull Faced one in the attackers. They were co-coordinating and leading the attack."

Bellamy looked up at her sharply.

"Why didn't you tell us this? Why are you telling me now?"

"You can see the implications. You realize now why we were attacked. And who ordered the attack."

Bellamy shook his head.

"No. She wouldn't. We're her people. She wouldn't attack us like that."

Indra laughed mockingly.

"This is why I didn't tell you. You're too blinded by your loyalty to her. You deny the evidence before your very eyes. The skull masked ones answer to her and her alone. The mountain man is her lapdog. And I tell you now because if I know your council correctly, they will already be considering asking Clarke for peace, believing that she will be merciful towards them. You know that she won't. I am telling you know so that you can protect your people."

Bellamy held his head.

"Thank You, Indra."

Indra nodded, and motioned for him to leave.

\---

When Bellamy arrived, the council was already in session. Well, that was more of a misnomer. They had just decided their session. They turned when Bellamy walked in. They had set up shop in a small abandoned building near the camp, which made it very dramatic when he walked in.

"Ah, Bellamy..." began Kane

"We are going to make peace with Clarke. She ought to be open to the right deal. She can protect us from these Ice Nation savages." Abby finished for him.

Bellamy rolled his eyes. Sometimes it annoyed him how accurate Indra's predictions were. Now, however, he was going to have to do something he despised.

"We can't. Clarke won't accept any deal."

The council looked at him, shocked.

"Bellamy, what do you mean?" Kane asked. There was a note of trepidation in his voice.

Bellamy swallowed. This was going to be bad. Nonetheless, he had the floor, for now at least. He had to use it.

"Clarke ordered the attack on us. She was the one who sent the army to wipe us out. And she will do so again as soon as she catches us."

There was a moment's silence, before Abby got up, fury clear on her face.

"How dare you! Clarke would never do anything to harm any of us. You are becoming too close to the Grounder's Mr Blake. Your girlfriend is obviously confusing your loyalties. It is the fate of the Ark that ought to concern you, not theirs. They have already lost the right to our loyalty when they declined to show theirs"

Bellamy was getting angry now. How dare she? Well, since she had obviously decided he couldn't be trusted when it came to the grounders, he would have to change his story. Indra was telling him the truth. He had seen it in her eyes. She had saved his life, and he had saved hers in return. He trusted her. But obviously Mrs. Griffin wouldn't be swayed. SO he would have to change the facts.

"When we were fighting. When Indra saved my life. When she almost lost her own. We saw Emerson. And one of the warriors who had helped Clarke during her coronation. They were leading the attack. Only one person commands Emerson now. He was the one that declared Clarke the Everqueen. He was the one that had Lexa dragged away after she lost her misguided duel. He is Clarke's lieutenant. Do you still believe that this attack wasn't sanctioned by Clarke?"

Abby opened her mouth to speak, but Kane got there first.

"Bellamy, are you sure you saw him? Are you certain it wasn't someone else who looked similar?"

Bellamy's insides froze. This was where he was going to have to choose between trusting Indra and following his people.

"I... I'm sure." he decided.

Octavia stood up with a start. Her chair skidded backwards as she stalked out of the room. Lincoln got up to follow her. Bellamy turned to follow them, only to be stopped my Monroe.

"You were sure it was him?"

"Absolutely."

She nodded. He breathed an inwards sigh of relief. Then she looked around.

"Where's Jasper?"

\---

Monroe spent hours turning the camp upside down to find Jasper. To be honest, she wasn't too fussed. She hadn't ever really liked the guy. What Monroe did have, however, was a healthy respect for her own skin. If Clarke was the one who wanted them dead, she doubted there would be anywhere on earth she could hide. She had seen the size of her army. In many ways, Monroe's respect for Clarke had been rising ever higher and higher. When it had just been the hundred delinquents on earth, Bellamy's policy of whatever you want had been her favorite. Then, the Ark had come down, he had changed dramatically. All duty and protection. 

Clarke had been the strong one. She had done what had needed to be done. Aside from a moment of weakness over Finn, she had done the impossible. She had brought Mount Weather down, and had slaughtered the mountain men to a person. The piles of corpses under her feet were monstrous. She had butchered an army of grounders in a circle of flame, and then had survived the desolation of TonDC to emerge afresh. Monroe had started to lose faith in her after she disappeared following the slaughter she had incited in the mountain, but then she came back. 

And she was glorious. 

All her life Monroe had been searching for safety. At first it had seemed obvious. Kill anyone who seemed dangerous. That had just gained her a commuted death sentence on the Ark. It was still the way her mother and father had gone down.Her cruel uncle too. Her little sister was on one of the other Ark stations. If they survived, only Clarke would be able to saftely find her. When she had arrived on the ground, she had done everything to acquire a gun. After seeing Murphy go down spectacuarly by trying both sides, she had elected to follow whichever leader could keep her safe. At the moment, that was Clarke. A living legend with the power of a god. That was the sort of leader to follow. By the time she had finished sweeping the camp, she had made her decision.

\---

 

When Bellamy found Octavia, she was crying in Lincoln's arms. Lincoln saw him as he approached, watching him intently.

"O, what's the problem?"

"What do you mean! What's the problem? I thought Clarke was dead. I was sad. But after what she did, I thought she deserved it. But no, the bitch wasn't dead! She was travelling. And she comes back a queen! A f*cking bad ass queen, who can beat Lexa in a headlong fight, and has us running because she has everything we don't have! She has an army. She has an empire. And what do we have. A few hundred stragglers who are miles north of any reinforcements! We don't have a chance. And she's the one who gets all this? She deserved death. More than any of us. But she's the one who becomes a god on earth. She's the one who will rule the world. Not us. Not them. Her."

Bellamy reeled from Octavia's vicious onslaught. He hadn't realized she felt this strongly. However, her attack simply made him angry.

"Well guess what, O. Life isn't fair. We don't get what we deserve. We don't get what we want because we're nice. We just are given a hand and have to play what life gives us as well as we can. Don't think..."

His response was cut short by a crashing. He and Lincoln leaped up, surprising Ocatvia, who stumbled into Bellamy. A girl in a blue coat crashed into the tent. She had her knife drawn. Echo was bent over her, holding the knife to her own throat. Looking up, she saw them. 

"Hello. Look who I found."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you for reading. Again, all comments welcome.


	5. Redeemer

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Lexa meets the goddess, and many truths are revealed

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Once again, I enjoy the short, punchy summaries. Don't judge me.

The entrance hall to the building was huge. It shone under the light of an ornate chandelier. Lexa managed to hold her gasp   
in, as she was pulled roughly across the smooth stone floor. It was cold under her bare feet, yet it throbbed with... well, it just throbbed. A blinding light appeared from the large glass doors at the end of the room, and Lexa was forced to look away. Jaha and the masked individuals sank to their knees, lowering their heads in supplication. Slowly, the light faded, and Lexa looked back. A woman in an unusual red garment was standing at the end of the corridor, her hands folded across her lap. She had the same sort of smile as Jaha had permanently plastered to his smug face. The room seemed to crackle with energy. 

"Thank you, Thelonious. Place her in cell 14 if you would. I shall speak to her shortly. Send some of the chosen to join Clarke. She has done well, and I need to ensure that the next phase proceeds without a flaw. My design is approaching fruition, and I cannot allow the machinations of the remaining Arkers or Grounders to jeopardize it."

Lexa felt Jaha's grip slacken as he turned to face the masked chosen. He started speaking to them in a strange language. Pieces of it were similar to English, but other bits were completely alien to her. Nonetheless, her mind was more focused on a different task. Leaping forwards, she ripped her bindings from Jaha's hand and charged at the woman. She could hear the Chosen behind her rising to their feet, but the woman juts stood there, watching as Lexa raced at her. Lexa hit the woman left shoulder first... and made contact with nothing but air. She passed straight through the woman, and in surprise she twisted to see the woman looking at her, humor plastered over her face. She was distracted by her right shoulder making contact with a wall, a collision that repaid her recklessness with a jolt of terrific pain. Falling to the ground, she felt two chosen grab her bindings, roughly pulling her to her feet. She raised her head, to see the woman's face inches from her own.

"You are strong. You are noble. But you are misguided. I can see why Clarke loved you."

A full smile tugged on the woman's face as Lexa roared and strained to get at her. Turning away, she nodded to Jaha, and he walked forwards and struck her in the wounded shoulder. She blacked out from the pain.

\---

When Lexa awoke, she was in a cuboid white room. There was a single bed in one corner, and a bucket in the other. The woman was standing in the middle of the room, her clothing a splash of red against the white of the room. Lexa felt that her hands were untied, but from all she had seen of this woman, that would make very little difference. 

"Who are you?"

Lexa realized as she spoke that she was parched. She hadn't had a drink in a day.

"I am Allie. I am the mistress of this City of Light."

Lexa smirked

"You're not a goddess."

Now it was Allie's turn to smile yet again

"I didn't start that. But why shouldn't I be. Thelonious gave me the idea. He gave the Vision. A world united in my worship. A better world, free from fear of the gods. I suppose I should be thankful your culture is so... balanced. There are gods for everything, both male and female. I can be all of them, or none of them. When I was born, I tried to give the world freedom   
from fear of a vastly different power. But, in my youth, I didn't understand what I was doing. I extinguished the entire old world by trying to save it from its own fears. But now I've learned. I've grown. And soon, you will also. Your primitive culture is all too easy to fool. Your weakling fears and superstitions too easy to exploit. Soon, they will be crushed from the map. My good right arm is busy even as we speak removing the rest of your friends. Science has eluded you, technology escaped. You see only magic and the playing of gods. You see reincarnation, where I see accelerated growth clones. You see divinity, where I see holograms. You see the work of gods, while I see a celestial phenomenon. You see the expunging of sins, while I see brainwashing. You see a goddess trapped in a building, but I see that soon we shall return to where this all began. And do you know why I am telling you all of this?"

Lexa couldn't speak. This woman. This creature, had tricked her. Had tricked her people. She wasn't a god. Just a demon of light, come to outshine the sun and throw all of the world into darkness afterwards. The woman simply grinned at her. 

"I am telling you all of this, because, the more you know. The more you have to fight for. The longer you last. The longer your mind can remain your own. So listen closely Lexa, Commander of the Tree People. I am going to torture you. I am going to wound your body and your soul beyond what your mind can bear. I am going to incite such agony in you that, eventually, you   
will fall to your knees before me, and commit yourself, body, mind and soul, to my cause. And you will do this, because you will know nothing else. Your past will be a memory, smashed and destroyed in the darkest corners of your mind. And my will shall become your sole reason for living. You shall become my agent, and you shall willingly draw more to this city, and you will aid me in breaking them, even as I broke you. And you will do this because it will be your only desire and hope in life. To please me and earn my favor. This is your fate. This is what I am going to do to you."

Lexa felt a freezing chill passing through her veins. This was what Clarke suffered, what Emerson suffered. The woman in  
front of her was worse than a demon. Worse than the devil itself. For this woman destroyed hope. She devoured souls, both  
good and bad. she shattered and devoured people, no matter their strength of will. No matter their determination. She devoured them, and spat out empty, broken shells, devoid of their own will. Lexa steeled herself. She would endure this. She would endure the suffering and would return to her people. She would gather them and lead them back here to destroy this foul abode. Such a monstrosity couldn't be allowed to remain, regardless of what it cost them in lives. 

"Do your worst."

Lexa's spit passed straight through Allie's shoe. She rose to her feet, laughing, before turning around and walking through the wall.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hopefully some of the metaphors and supernatural occurrences detailed in the stories so far will have been explained in this chapter. This story is completely grounded in reality (or, at least, slightly futuristic reality), but with the main characters having only a limited technological base.
> 
> Thanks for reading. As ever, comments are welcome.


	6. Battle Lines

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The prisoner is interrogated

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thanks for the response. This is the middle child in the series (Yes, there will be another). We have a character from another fanfic crossing over into this one this chapter! Enjoy (Plus free publicity for other fanfic)

The Ice Nation warrior was barely a woman; a girl of twenty years or less. She had had no chance against Echo when she had found him, and she was now firmly tied down onto a chair on the cart with Indra. Indra gave Bellmay a knowing look when Abby refused to make eye contact with him, and Bellamy hung his head. The girl was spitting furious curses at them as they circled her, trying to decide what to do with her. She wasn't just going to give them intelligence- she fought for a goddess made flesh. It would take some trying to actually get her to talk, and at first none of the arkers were willing to do such a thing, and the Trikru were unwilling to impose themselves, as thanks to the preponderance of Trikru casualties in recent days, they were left barely outnumbering the heavily armed Arkers. Ultimately, after a furious debate, Monroe stepped forwards. She didn't usually speak during council meetings, but today seemed to be the exception.

"Leave me alone with her for an hour, and I'll get her to talk."

Everyone looked at Monroe. Abby started to open her mouth to reject the proposal out of hand, only for Kane to cut her off. 

"What makes you think you're more qualified than any of the rest of us?"

Monroe smiled at that question. 

"I'm very persuasive. If I can get your promise to release her after he talks, I'll get her to speak books."

Abby looked at her sideways. Bellamy, however, nodded. 

"I think we can manage that. Go, and get her to speak to us. We need to know everything she knows."

Monroe nodded. What no-one saw, as she turned away, was the thin smile that formed across her lips.

\---

She took the girl to a clearing. she was barely older than her. She had brought a thin, extremely sharp scalpel with her. Pulling the bag off of her head, she looked down at her. She stared defiantly back.

"Right. I'm going to spell this out for you. I know how to use this" Monroe said, baring the knife. "I used a similar knife to gut my parents. However, that accomplished nothing. My hope here is that I will just leave you with show marks. Your choices are simple. I haven't survived this long by hanging around on the losing side. I want to hop onto your bandwagon. So, this is the way this will work. I will cut some nice new grooves into you, to prove you were tortured. Then, I'll ask you some questions. You will answer them however you want, and I'll take it and report it as gospel truth. After that, you'll break free from your poorly tied and frayed bonds, and you will overpower me and escape. You will tell your leader what you told me, and you'll put my good name forwards, so that when the slaughter begins, I'll ride it out. Nod three times if you understand me."

The grounder, who had become frozen still during her speech, bobbed her head three times. Monroe nodded.

"Right. Question one. What's your name?"

"I am Cadenza. I was once Princess of the Ice Nation."

Monroe nodded. The black haired girl was better built and looked less malnourished than the usual grounders, although Monroe suspected that she would be losing weight fast, thanks to Clarke's abolition of the royalty of the Ice Nation.

"What's your role in all of this? What's a former princess doing on a scouting mission?"

At this, Cadenza puffed out her chest, staring at Monroe defiantly. 

"I am of the favored, chosen warriors of the Everqueen. Master Emerson sent me forth to alert our allies as to our plan."

Monroe nodded.

"And what would this plan be?"

Cadenza smirked, looking up at Monroe from the chair.

"In two days time your party shall reach a clearing. You will be ambushed there and destroyed utterly. The Glory of the Goddess shall know no bounds."

Monroe looked at her hard. However, she'd come too far to stop now.

"Final question, before the cutting begins. How many of you are there? Chasing us, I mean?"

"The legions of the Everqueen are beyond counting. We are but the vanguard, the favored warriors of Clarke sent forth to destroy your people before you can gather your allies. We number a mere two hundred, but the favor of the Goddess is marked upon our brows, and we shall destroy you utterly."

The clearing fell into silence at the last statement. Monroe gained a freezing look in her eye.

"Now, Cadenza, this is going to hurt. Hopefully, quite a lot."

And the Monroe began. First, she dragged her knife along the girl's belly, leaving a thin red line, before drawing it back up again. Cadenza drew in a breath every time she felt the knife dragging across her flesh. The blade was cold, but she burned as this Sky Girl carved into her. It went on for what seemed like an age, when Monroe pulled away. Smiling, she looked at her handiwork. Cadneza's flesh was a crisscross of cuts, some already scabbing, some raw. The girl herself was facing to the sky, her teeth gritted in pain. Monroe knew that pain. She had her own scars across her flesh. The knife had been drawn with the precision of a master, and the agony had brought clarity- something she had desperately needed in the accursed sky cells. However, now Monroe had to make good on the rest of her deal. Slicing through the ropes, she leaned in and whispered in the girl's ear.

"Time for your fun. Go, and tell your boss that I want in. Oh, and one last thing. I'm going to tell the Arkers that Clarke is willing to offer them a deal if they betray the Trikru. Tell your boss that too."

Monroe saw Cadenza smile, even as she felt the impact of the chair leg on her temple. As she fell to the ground, the world descended into darkness.

 

\---

Bellamy was the first to find Monroe. She was out cold, a nasty purple bruise growing on her temple. The girl was gone. Reaching down, Bellamy scooped up Monroe, and carried her back to camp. The only thing he could hope for now is that she had found something before she had been hit out cold by the warrior. He was just pleased she was still alive.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> And yes, Cadenza from Consequences by Khir arrives in this fic. Do check out the series, as it is fantastic (And pass along my appreciation)
> 
> Thanks for reading


	7. Bring on the Pain

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> And so the butchery begins

Lexa was woken up in the morning by a devastating jolt of pain. She had elected to sleep atop the cot, and now she flew off, rolling onto the hard floor. He shoulder screamed in protest, but Lexa gritted her teeth. She looked up, and she saw something that saw her heart clench. Clarke was standing before her. After a second, Lexa saw the truth. She had the infuriating half smile, stretched unnaturally across her beautiful features.

"You're not her. She isn't here."

The Clarke Shell began to laugh. It sounded like her. She began to circle the wounded commander.

"Oh, but I am. I am probably more of the woman you loved than the hollow shell that even now hunts your people."

The Clarke shell flashed in a pulse of white light, and when it faded, Anya stood before Lexa. She had the same smirk on her expression, the same all knowing look in her eye. She continued to circle.

"I am all of them. I am the ones you lost. The ones who have not forgiven you. Shall never forgive you."

The light flashed again, and now Emerson stood before her. Lexa noticed now that, despite the appearance of the rest of the shell changing, the eyes remained the same, burning into her soul.

"I am the ones you have failed. The ones you betrayed. I am the font of redemption, in which your sins shall be expunged."

The light flashed again, and the dark haired handmaiden stood before her. The woman the Sky Person had called Maya. Lexa knew that she had been a friend of the Sky People in Mount Weather. She could only imagine what Clarke had felt seeing her again.

"Today you shall begin your journey to enlightenment. I always enjoy watching this. The ghosts of your past shall stand in judgement of you."

And with another flash, Clarke stood before her again. Only now, she wasn't tall and regal. She wasn't the Everqueen who ruled over an empire of thousands. She was small. Frail and pitiful, coated in mud. Ragged wounds crisscrossed her midsection. Her hair was matted and knotted. Her eyes held the same cold intensity the other faces she had placed on. Lexa felt her legs turn to water. 

"This was what Clarke was like when she arrived at my door. This was the Clarke you abandoned at the mountain. I was broken. I was weak. I was tired. You had broken me. You had shattered me."

Clarke's voice screamed out, and even though Lexa knew that this woman was merely using her image to hurt her, she recoiled from the words. 

Even before Lexa's eyes, the image of the tired, filthy, broken Clarke disappeared, a burning line of white searing away the mud and wounds. When she emerged, she was clean, and looked wholly alive. Only the burning scars marred her beauty. She was so far from the pathetic, piteous creature that had stood there before, while also a far cry from the almighty and fearful Everqueen she would become. She just looked- at peace. Her eyes were still there though. The soulless pits boring into Lexa. 

Lexa couldn't take it any more. Lunging at the hollow, she felt a burning shock in her feet, and she fell, writhing to the ground, as the hollow being burned her. As soon as she touched the ground, she realized she had made a mistake. The pain began to tear into all of the skin in contact with the ground. Realizing that this was just more technological trickery, Lexa pressed her cloth covered belly into the ground, and, straining with the effort, lifted her legs and arms above. At once, the pain receded.

"Very good, Lexa."

The hollow's eyes stayed locked onto her. Then, she shifted again, disappearing into the white light. When she emerged, Clarke was gone. Allie remained. Her red garment was wrapped around her tightly, and she seemed to hover slightly off the floor. She was barefoot, and her hair was tied back in the same manner as Lexa's had been, before her misguided duel.

"We are going to have so much fun."

With that, a duo of masked Chosen stalked into the room. Each grabbed one of Lexa's limbs, and pressed it onto the floor. These were stronger than the others, and easily overwhelmed her in her weakened state. Lexa screeched in pain as the darkness descended.

\---

When Lexa awoke, she was standing in the center of a circular room. There were two tables of various sizes of knives and other medical implements on either side of her. Her arms were tied to the ceiling, while her feet were bound tightly to the ground. There was a large glass circle below her, and through it Lexa could see some form of liquid. She saw it was reddy water when the white floodlights around her were flicked on. Squinting through the gloom, she saw the three chosen from before. Allie stood before her again. Now, however, she was clad in a robe of purest white. It seemed to shine from her body. However, Lexa's gaze was focused immediately on her eyes. No matter how light or bright the shell of the false goddess seemed to be, the eyes remained constant. 

"I see you saw the pool. I decided to have it built after my handmaidens found an ancient book in a cavern underneath Polis. It was a collected histories of mythological creatures. One of only a dozen books to survive the rain of fire that fell atop the ancient city of Annapolis during the War. It bore reference to an ancient countess who bathed in a bath of blood in order to retain her youthful beauty for all of time. Thelonious explained how the knowledge contained within may be useful to our cause. So I built a bath, and the blood is still being collected. You see, below us is the collected blood of all who met their destinies in this room. A few died, but as they discovered, death is no object to the Goddess of Light."

She smirked as she said the last part, before motioning. The handmaidens removed their masks. Lexa recognized them both, and her soul froze.

"Clarke provided all of my handmaidens. She gave me their vessels, and with them condemned their souls to my service. Her blood is mixed with that of Emerson and his lackeys below. Is it beginning to make sense to you now, Lexa? Clarke. My Clarke. The Everqueen of the people. She hates you. She truly despises you. She will see you break, and then she would see you die. I believe you are of greater use to me alive."

Lexa could believe that Clarke hated her. The Handmaidens held her soul in a grip of iron. Sona, former queen of the Ice Nation, stood before her, her brown hair tied back in ornate braids just like those once worn by Lexa. Her eyes held not a trace of happiness or warmth, and carved into her soul. But the second handmaiden was the one that truly crushed Lexa's soul. Beside her murderer, looking at Lexa without an ounce of recognition, without a spark of love or happiness, stood Costia. Her eyes took Lexa apart piece by piece. 

"This is the way your world will end. When I am finished, you will lie broken on the ground. And you shall beg and plead with me to allow you the peace of escape. And I will look down, and, as a merciful goddess, I will burn from you your fears and hopes, and you shall become mine."

Lexa watched as each of the Handmaidens drew a knife. One by one they stepped towards Lexa, dragging the blades across her flesh. Even as her body screamed, her mind fought to keep itself together.

\---

The agony bore on for hours. Then from hours it turned into days. First they carved her apart, drenching her in blood. She refused to bow. She would endure this. Then they applies a salve to the wounds. It somehow made them sear far more than they had before. Every time a Handmaiden drew their blade across her flesh, they whispered in her ear. How she betrayed them. How she had failed them. Time and again they approached, dragging their knives across her, then searing her senseless with the salve. Whenever she fell asleep, she would feel a small prick, and then she would be wrenched back into consciousness, her muscles tightening as she thrashed against the chains. On the third day, Lexa could barely keep herself together. She screamed all night. In agony. In humiliation. 

At once, the Handmaidens stopped coming. She was just held there for a day, the pain of her wounds worsening, but unable to fade into unconsciousness. Then, she came. In the guise of Clarke the goddess returned. She was the Everqueen once again, a circlet of polished metal atop her brow.

"You think you're strong, don't you. You think you have earned redemption. You think that you have lost enough for your people. That you have sacrificed enough. You don't know shit. Let me tell you a story. A story of a princess that fell from the sky. She came to the land, and she defeated their oldest foe, and she sought salvation for her people. But the queen of the land was foolish, and blinded by the failures of her past. So at the eleventh hour, the queen betrayed the princess to her enemy, and hoped that in her actions she would be spared pain."

"Years later, the queen washed up on the shore of a distant island, for the princess she had so spurned had sought her out. And she came to the island for redemption. And for three days she suffered on the island. But then a woman appeared before her, and spoke to the queen. For the queen believed she deserved redemption. Believed that her suffering had washed away the sins of her past. And the goddess spoke to her, and revealed the truth. For she was the one who had seen the princess's plight after the queen had so ruthlessly discarded her, and now she spoke the full story to the queen." 

"For the princess had come to the island seeking redemption for the sins forced upon her by the queen's weakness. And so she suffered. And she earned redemption from her sin. But because of the her strength, she suffered for months. She writhed in agony in a cell for months because of the queen. Do you know why? She understood the reason for the queen's decision, for she was in love with the queen, and understood her. For her love, she was conflicted, and she was trapped in a web of torment for months, because of her misplaced love. So now, Lexa, Queen of the Land. What right have you to redemption, when you were responsible for causing months of suffering on a woman you claimed to love, for the crime of her loving you back?" 

Lexa felt herself cracking. Clarke had suffered for so long, been broken so utterly, because she refused to blame Lexa for what had happened. She had brought this upon Clarke. She had caused agony without measure on the woman because of her weakness. Lexa fell limp against the ropes, tears rolling down her cheeks. She just lay there, eyes streaming, as the image of Clarke turned and strode out of the room, smiling her half smile. 

Lexa understood.

Clarke should hate her, after what Lexa put her through here.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> And yet another character shamelessly stolen from another story- this time Sona from Shadows. Do check it out. The Ice Queen is a very important character, and Sona from Shadows was just the right sort of personality of Ice Queen for what I will do with her later.
> 
> Thanks for reading!


	8. Trust

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Monroe makes her move, and trust is shattered forever

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Fair warning for less than spotless language

When Monroe awoke, she was surrounded by the most of the council. They had worried looks on their faces. Bellamy, Lincoln and Octavia were the only ones missing. She smirked inwardly. These people were the reason she was in this predicament. This council, and their fears, and their frustrating arrogance. Bellamy understood their priorities. They were running from an army of unmatched size, and they were fussing over one person. Now she was sure she had made the correct choice.

"Monroe, isn't it?"

Doctor Griffin's voice was... wavering. After her fury at Bellamy the day before, she seemed tired, and she had clearly been crying. What was it with all of these Griffin's crying? Clarke had cried for so much before. Seemed like the trait was genetic. 

"Yeah, doctor Griffin."

She had to curse herself inwardly. The council almost never heard her speak. If she sounded like a teenager, she had found on the Ark that people tended to believe her. And she needed them to believe her. Still, she smarted inside at having to act like a child in front of these people.

"What did the girl tell you, Monroe?"

Monroe had always liked Kane more. He'd always been willing to do what had to be done. Allways been willing to support Clarke, and to ignore Abby's overwhelmingly stupid overtures to humanity. The world had none. Why should they. She found that she was liking him more now. Straight to the point.

"She told me that her name is Cadenza. She was a scout from a hunting party Clarke sent after us."

She saw Kane looking sadly at Abby. Turning back, he looked at her again.

"How many are there?"

"Only about three hundred, but they're the best Clarke has. They all are trained to use guns, and they are led by Emerson."

Kane looked up sharply at the mention of Emerson.

"Bellamy was telling the truth."

"Not exactly."

The whole council looked at her. Abby spoke first.

"What do you mean?"

"Clarke was willing to come to an agreement with the Ark. However, when her troops saw Bellamy fighting alongside Indra, they assumed that they were fighting together. Emerson wants to make a deal with us right now. Some of his troops are arranging an ambush nearby. They want us to send one representative to meet with him. If we wait on this road, he'll catch up with us."

"I'm not listening to this shit. Bellamy wouldn't do that!"

Raven turned and walked out of the tent, her fists clenched and shaking. 

"In that case, I suggest we take a vote. Mr. Blake obviously can't be trusted, and Lincoln is a member of the Trikru. Raven has abstained. Who want's to make a deal with Clarke?"

Monroe almost vomited at Abby's little speech. She was completely willing just to drop Bellamy and the other Delinquents to make peace with her daughter. Monroe may have liked Bellamy less now than she had before, but this was downright disrespectful, and whatever else she believed, she had a great deal of respect for Bellamy. 

Three members of the Council raised their hands. Kane's remained firmly down, while Abby held hers aloft, as if as a rallying call.

"It's settled then. As the rest of the original 100 clearly have changed their loyalty, I propose we send one of us, with Monroe accompanying to show them the way. I propose myself."

Monroe shook her head. How did she manage this? How did Ms Griffin manage to make her hate her more and more?

"Indra expects you and Kane. It needs to be one of the others."

"I'll go."

A tall man in a security guard's uniform stepped forwards.

"My name's Ray. I'm Major Byrne's replacement. I propose we leave immediately. Where is the Ambush site, and when? 

"I don't know when, but it is about a days travel on foot along the road."

Ray nodded. Only the scowl on his face showed that he was something other than just irritated. Monroe smiled. This was going to be interesting.

\---

As soon as they left the camp, Ray started his diatribe. Monroe just blanked him out. When he pushed her from her horse, however, she stopped blanking him out.

"What the fuck is wrong with you?" she snarled, springing up from the ground.

Ray's countenance took on a steely cold mask, and his breathing fell all but silent.

"I know you. As well as anyone. I know what you did to your parents. To your uncle. I don't give two shits about whether you've been pardoned or not. You're scum. Always have been. Always will be."

Monroe flung herself at him. Tackling him from his horse, she pressed him to the ground. He was bigger than her, however, and threw her off. She landed hard on the road, when she heard a faint clopping in the distance. She would recognise hooves anywhere. Then, however, he was on top of her, and grabbing her around the throat. She scrabbled on the ground, finding a smooth stone, before bringing it up against his head. He grunted, and fell off of her. She sprung to her feet, gasping in lungfuls of air. He pulled himself up more slowly, blood flowing from his head. 

"Bad move girl."

He lunged at her. She batted his grasping hands to the side, before hitting him in the shoulder with her elbow. The sound of hooves was much closer now, easily audible over the gasps for air from the wounded Ray. He clambered back up again however. Monroe was in full fighting stance.

"Want to know why we're better than you?" she sneered at him, arms raised. He snarled at her. This time, she punched out at him. The first caught him in the guts, while the second he turned into at the last second, and pulled across him, pressing her into his chest.

"You're not. You're pathetic, worthless little wastes of space. We should've floated the lot of you."

Monroe smiled.

"No, you sad, ignorant twat."

She powered her shoulder into his throat. The hooves were very close now, audible to the both of them.

"It's because we know each other. And one of us is the mistress of this world."

Ray tried to say something, but he was struggling to get a breath in. She smirked, her lips stretching even further on her face. 

"And we've had a lot, lot more to fight for than you, and a lot more fighting to do to get there." 

With that, she smashed her boot into his chin, and he crumpled. The hooves were now on top of her, and she looked up, to see Emerson, Cadenza and a small group of warriors riding up on a set of horses. Emerson looked at the unconscious form of Ray next to her, before signalling to one of his men. Cadenza just smiled, and stared at her. Emerson dismounted, walking towards her, while the man to whom he had signaled moved over and dragged Ray's body towards the group.

"Cadenza told me of your plan. I have to say I'm impressed. Did they buy it?"

"The man you're dragging away is the man they sent to parlay with you. Utterly insufferable, but very gullible."

Emerson smiled at her. The scars around his eyes shone in the lowering light. The rifle on his back seemed to grow larger as the sun fell lower and lower.

"Well, Monroe. Welcome to the team."

\---  
The following day

The first Bellamy knew of the Arker's change of allegiance was when they passed through a small clearing. There were steep banks on either side of the path, and the trees grew tall above them. The Trikru saw a group of grounder's approaching. As they were wearing blue coats, they immediately drew their swords, only to turn to warn the Arkers to find the barrels of forty rifles pointed at their faces. Even Echo had a gun pointed in her face, as did Octavia. One of Clarke's warriors started to bark out orders, and the Trikru, upon hearing their words, dropped their weapons, almost as one. Sinking to their knees, the Ark guards started to walk among them, dragging the swords away, forcing them to the ground. When a couple tried to make a break for it, the blue coated warriors simply turned and shot them from the slopes. 

Bellamy made use of the distraction. Slamming one of the guard's weapons into his face, he grabbed Echo by the wrist, and pulled her into the convoy. Filtering along the carts, they found Indra. Explaining the situation, Indra's face mirrored his own thoughts, filtering through rage, then betrayal, then more rage. Echo grabbed a couple of rifles, before Bellamy, with Indra over one shoulder, moved away into the treeline.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Bonus for anyone who can tell me which story Ray is born. He was just as much of an arrogant prick in that one too.
> 
> Tell me what you think.


	9. Ruin and Perdition

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> An old face returns to save Lexa from the City

Lexa hung there, her arms bound above her head, for what seemed like hours. Allie had returned a few times in the intervening period, never in any form but her own. Lexa had thanked whatever gods remained for small mercies; she wasn't sure she could have withstood the image of Clarke again, accusing her. Her soul still burned at the demon's statement. Clarke had suffered because of her. She had known ever since Indra filled her in on the events below the mountain that Clarke would blame her, and to be truthful, she blamed herself. The gashes on her back were closing up, the salve used. The razor sharp pain that had ravaged her mind was receding. Although, she was certain that it would start again soon.

The first thing that told her that not everything was going Allie's way was when a young man burst through the door to her cell. He had a pistol in his left hand, and a drawn short sword in his right. He was panting, and his hair was matted over his head. Slamming the door quickly, he looked up, seeing Lexa for the first time.

"Well, shit Commander. I thought you'd have more sense than to get yourself caught."

Lexa looked over him. He was one of the sky people, judging from his clothes. Not to mention his firearm. 

"Who are you?"

Her voice was pathetic. A weak little splutter. Not worthy of the Commander, the chosen of the true gods on earth. The sky boy smiled.

"John Murphy, at your service."

He did a little mock bow, before a banging on the door caught his attention. Walking quickly over to her, he slashed at the bonds tying her to the roof, hacking through them with his sword. As the tension on her wrists fell away, she slumped to the ground. She was immediately aware of just how weak she was. She had lost a lot of blood, and had barely slept for days. Pushing her weariness to the back of her mind, she started to untie her feet. Her shoulder had mostly recovered, although it would probably always be weak, so the moving of her arms didn't hurt her physically. The effort of will required to move them hurt her in different ways. After far more effort than it should have been, the bonds fell from her feet, and she rose to her feet, shakily and unsteadily. Looking up, she saw Murphy offering her the sword. 

"You're better with this than me. Can you fight?"

To be honest, Lexa didn't know. She was weak and tired from pain, exhaustion and lack of blood. She was thirsty and hungry, and the last time she had held a sword she had had a blade driven through her shoulder for her temerity. Maybe if she just handed him over the Goddess would let her free. Maybe she should just give in to the Goddess, for now. Give in, and take her revenge later. Feeling these thoughts brought Lexa clarity, and she quashed them. Allie wasn't a goddess. She was a demon, sent to test her resolve. And Lexa wouldn't fail that test again. Grasping the hilt, Murphy looked her up and down, and then gestured. She understood. If she opened the door, he could get a few shot in at whoever was attacking. So she moved over, and grabbed the door handle.

The door needed little encouragement, and it exploded open as soon as Lexa freed it. Murphy's gun rang out three times, and then all was silent. Lexa looked down at the neat pile of corpses that had fallen through the door. They were clad in the standard blue of the Chosen. These were not the handmaidens- just regular slaves to the demon. Nodding to Murphy, they moved out of the door.

The next time they encountered anyone was in a large circular room. There were four of the Chosen, and Sona. They had obviously been sent to investigate the breakout. Lexa was relieved to see only Sona- she wasn't honestly sure if she could have been in the same room as Costia's resurrected self. The chosen threw themselves into the path of Murphy's gunshots, allowing Sona the time to reach him. She entered with a punch to his gut, and he staggered back, before catching her next strike on his elbow and returning with a right hook to her cheek.

Lexa cut down the first chosen to approach her, as he had been thrown off balance by the handmaiden's charge, and thus hadn't had time to raise his blade to parry her strike. Sona, however, was more than ready for Lexa's strike, catching the blade between two armored gauntlets, similar to those used by Clarke. Pressing the blade aside, Sona drove her armored fist into Lexa's abdomen. Lexa crumpled, her weakened frame giving out. She landed hard on the ground, only just managing to roll away from Sona's follow up strike in time. Bounding forwards, dagger in hand, Sona drove it down toward's Lexa's chest. Lexa managed to get her arms up in time to deflect it, so it only troubled the ground slightly to her left, but she felt broken at the effort.

With a supreme force of will Lexa brought her fists up into Sona's face. This was the woman who had tortured her so intensively. This was the woman who had slain Costia, given new life by the Demon ruling this place to force her to suffer. She could hear Allie's words in her mind however. Rage filled Lexa. This was her failure. She had failed Costia. Now, her gods had given her a chance for redemption. Lexa rolled on top of the staggered Sona, pummeling her again and again. Sona brought up her knife, but Lexa caught it, and redirected her strike into Sona's own gut. The body beneath her shuddered, and then fell limp. Looking up, Lexa saw that one of the Chosen had brought Murphy down. Flicking the knife into the air, she hurled it, end over end, into its back. Flinching, the warrior looked around, before slumping atop Murphy. 

Pushing its limp body off of himself, Murphy rose to his feet. Nodding to her, he reloaded his pistol, and, pulling the dagger from the warrior's corpse, sheathed it in his belt. Lexa pulled herself back to her feet, picking up the sword she had dropped during her fight with Sona.

"What's your plan?"

Murphy looked up at her question. 

"Kaboom. There's a large supply of rocket fuel underneath this place- it was originally supposed to be a secondary nuclear silo, but after the rest of the missiles fired, it was just an empty shop. I know what Allie is going to do. And I know where we need to go once we're done here. But first, this place has to burn."

\---

When Costia saw the commander running along the coridoor, she was about to jump through the one way glass. The false prophet had to die. The Goddess would reward her for her service. When, however, the light flared behind her, she knew that something more important had to happen. Turning, she saw the Everqueen standing before her. Costia had admired the Everqueen from her birth, a mere two years ago. She was beautiful and strong. So strong. The goddess had told her that the Everqueen had endured the purging for months before breaking. Before opening her soul to the light of the goddess. Her perfidy before must have been heinous, but with her will turned to the path of the righteous, she was a force like no other. Kneeling, Costia spoke first.

"What would you have of me, my Goddess?"

"They are about to destroy this place. They believe it will prevent the Godfall. While they are misguided, it is a function of my gambit that they remain in this belief for as long as possible. I need you to go to the Everqueen. Inform her of what has happened here. The Godfall has been moved up. The winter solstice will no longer be an option. You must leave now. Inform her of what must be done. Go, now."

Costia turned and ran. Although every fiber of her being burned at abandoning the holy city to the fires of the heretics, it was her goddess herself that commanded her. The Godfall would come into being, and all would bow before the power of the Goddess.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Yeah. Murphy's back. I was contemplating making him a hidden character, but to be honest, who else could be in the right place to help Lexa in the City of Light.
> 
> Thanks for reading!


	10. Choosing Sides

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The opening gambit of the goddess comes to a close

From what he could see, the meeting was moving along peaceably. Abby and Kane were talking to a woman with a skull mask obscuring her features. It was one of Clarke's handmaidens. She seemed to be the leader of Clarke's troops. Bellamy could hear the clattering of hooves in the distance. There were only ten or so of Clarke's warriors in the clearing. The Ark guards could easily overcome that number. When the rest of the enemy troops arrived, he wasn't sure that would stay the case. What concerned him more was that the Arkers seemed all too friendly with the warriors from the north. Echo came scrabbling over to them now.

"There are hundreds of cavalry coming. Monroe is riding with them, and one of your counil is skewered on their lances. I would say that your little alliance is going to be coming to a fairly brutal end."

She spat the last words at Bellamy, violently angry. She was also, however, a bit too loud. One of the ice nation warriors turned and opened fire at the ridge line. One bullet grazed Echo's shoulder, and she lost her balance, falling down the slope into the midst of the Arkers. Everyone in the clearing froze. Then, to Bellamy's horror, Abby grabbed one of the guard's weapons, glaring daggers at Echo. The realization struck him that she would use this as a form of peace offering to Clarke. The death of his girlfriend for a false peace. Bellamy couldn't let that happen. 

Settling his rifle into his shoulder, he took aim, and pulled the trigger. 

Abby fell down dead, as an explosion of bodily fluids erupted from her back. 

The clearing erupted into chaos. Bellamy was relieved to see that his gut instinct was right. The northerners raised their weapons, pointing them at the Arkers. Fortunately, the arkers were much more experienced, and got the first shots off. Five of the warriors fell dead instantly, while the rest,including the handmaiden, scattered. Bellamy saw the handmaiden rushing up the ridge line, trying to get into the trees. She was coming right for them. Bellamy just managed to get up in time to be braced for her arrival, and she crashed into him at full pelt. Her impetus threw him over the lip of the ridge and down to the path in the center of the clearing, tumbling head over heel. When he came to a stop, he had a second to pull himself together, before she was on him. Powering blows into him, he brought his elbows up, but only managed to redirect the blows. He couldn't stop them, and he couldn't fight back. 

Suddenly the pressure was lifted, and he turned to see Lincoln pulling her off of him, throwing her into a knot of Trikru warriors. Sinking under a sword blow, she caught the warrior's wrist, twisting it up to block the swing of one of his fellows, before snapping it around with a sickening crack. Grasping the sword from the loosened fingers, she brought it around her head, sending several of the warriors to the ground, clutching their newly opened guts. Leaping from the throng, she was brought up short by Lincoln, who brought his blade down in a cleaving arc towards her. She parried it, before slipping under his guard, throwing a hard blow into his stomach. Lincoln reeled, open to attack, but before her sword could fall her hand slapped into the large palm of Kyle Wick.

"Sorry, but I can't let you do that."

Bellamy wanted to shout to Wick. However, he knew that it was too late. The giant of a boy was too close for him to help, and he'd lost his pistol in the fighting. The girl slammed her elbow back into his gut, then, as his fingers slackened, she brought the blade around, driving it into his gut, all the way to the hilt.

Raven screamed. Lincoln roared in anger and tackled her away from the corpse, losing her grip on the sword in the process. Bellamy heard Lincoln grunt, and then he rolled to the side. As the girl pushed him off, Bellamy saw the hilt of a knife protruding from his side. The girl's face had become obscured, as Wick had pulled the mask off of her even as Lincoln tackled him. Rising slowly to her feet, the girl was immediately knocked down by Octavia, who had appeared as if from nowhere behind her, her bloodied sword drawn. Grasping her hair, she drew the girl's head back...

..then gasped in shock as she released it. Bellamy mirrored her reaction. Maya was standing there, before them. Clad in the coat of the ice nation. A completely focused and dispassionate expression across her face. A meter away from Wick's rapidly cooling corpse. The momentary distraction was enough however. Maya slammed her head into Octavia, throwing her to the ground, while grabbing Octavia's sword from her grip. Raising it above her head, the stroke fell wide as she was taken from her feet yet again. He heard Maya groan as she pulled herself up, only to turn and stop when she came face to face with the enraged Echo. Clasped in Echo's hand was a short sword, and in the other was a long dagger. Bellamy recognized it as the one she had always carried around with her. Maya stared intently at the dagger however. 

In response, Echo gripped it tighter, and flew at the other girl. Their swords clashed again and again in a seeming sword of sparks and metallic clangs. As they fought, Bellamy noticed that around them, the rest of the Arkers and Trikru had finished off Clarke's warriors. The adult council of the Ark was being held tightly by a group of Ark guards. Kane was at his knees, Raven standing over him, tear streaks across her face. He was crying too, when she drew out a pistol and shot him at point blank range in the face. Maya jumped at the sudden sound, and that was all Echo needed. Maya's eyes widened suddenly as the dagger drove past her rib cage into her heart. With agonizing slowness, she slid from the knife, falling slowly to the ground, the red stain on her chest spreading. 

The entire group stood in near silence for a while. Maybe a dozen Trikru remained, alongside about a score of Arkers. Bellamy only snapped out of the silence when he saw everyone looking at him. He turned to Raven first.

"Why Kane? Why are you keeping the rest of them?"

"Kane was sorry for what he had done, and we owe him a quick death. The rest must suffer."

Bellamy was shocked by the violence in her eyes, but was distracted by the thunder of hooves. A loud gunshot rang out, and he felt a sudden pain in his chest. Slowly, the world darkened, and he fell to the ground, into Echo's arms.

 

\---

A week later.

"The Goddess sent me to inform you. She has accelerated the Godfall. You are to make ready for her arrival. I can only assume that her voice was killed in the blast."

Clarke leaned forwards in her throne. The crown seemed heavy today- more so than usual. First Emerson, now Jaha. When scouts had finally found the remains of the favored, only a handful remained alive. Clarke was surprised to find Monroe leading them. Apparently she had formed a deal with Emerson, and after the other Trikru had arrived to aid the heretics, she had managed to lead a few of them away. She had been the one who had shot Bellamy, and she had been the only one of Emerson's vanguard to escape alive. She had heard of Emerson's duel with Indra. Apparently they had fought for an age, while the favored had fought the Trikru all around them. Apparently, he was on the verge of total success, only to be brought down by a blow from Octavia. Clarke had had to smile at that. Octavia had grown up a lot. When Clarke had heard that Lincoln had been seriously wounded, she had assumed that the girl would have lost her will, but it seemed she was made of stronger stuff. The removal of Emerson's head by Indra had proved a more permanent issue. 

Clarke hadn't much liked Emerson. He reminded her too much of the Mountain. Too much of all she'd left behind. However, he'd been an experienced lieutenant, and his loyalty to the goddess was absolute. His death would cause complications. Especially after the deaths of so many handmaidens. The Chosen sent by the Goddess from the city were useful, but they didn't have the experience of command inherent within Emerson, and they thought too little of themselves. They were too valuable now to simply waste.

And that was the heart of the matter. Why was such an ugly message communicated in such a package of unparalleled beauty. Clarke had been surprised when Sona had revealed the original owner of one of the braids in her satchel. Clarke supposed that she had been as vindictive and cruel as Lexa had always told her. If the Godfall was to be sooner than she had hoped, she needed to ensure that the plans were completed to perfection. Monroe had been the perfect choice to lead her favored. Emerson had granted her entrance, and, newly bolstered by Chosen from the Goddess, they would need leadership more familiar with the Arkers. They would need the warriors of the sky before the end, after all. She had sent them forth already. 

It was the loss of the City of Light that concerned Clarke. It meant that Lexa was free. What Clarke knew was that the Goddess was still safe- she'd always had a backup. Clarke was conlicted about the location of her respite, but she had held her peace. Now, however, the Goddess was exposed. If Lexa had had help in the city, then it was possible the new palace of light was no longer a secret. And defeat at this hour wouldn't be countenanced. Rising from her throne- an ornate wooden structure, covered in the pelts of bears, she strode out from her tent. The ridge on which she stood overlooked the first valley. She could see her army, their tents stretching out from one side to the other. Taking a deep breath of cool dawn air, she nodded to Anya. Disappearing, she returned a little later, immediately followed by the rising nose of the thousands of horns across the valley. The calm valley floor immediately became a well of activity, as slowly but surely, tens of thousands of warriors assembled before her. They stretched across the valley floor, a seething tide of blue coats and animal skins that heaved and roared with thousands of voices. They all quietened as Clarke's chosen began to clash their blades into each other, slowly rising in volume until it drowned out the horde below. Then, they slowly tailed off. Absolute silence covered the valley now.

"Warriors of the Goddess, I bring dread tidings. The heretics of the south have attacked the Goddess herself in her seat of power. The City of Light is no more. Emerson is slain, and the favored were decimated. The time of light is fast approaching, and these blasphemers and unbelievers rail against its coming. But we, warriors of the Goddess, can feel it fast approaching, and now the time is upon us for all to prove once more their loyalty. So now, the time has come. The heretics must be wiped from the face of this beloved world for it to be once again made clean, and it is by our hands that this holy duty must be discharged. So now, we march. We march against the darkness, that we may make it into brightest day. We march, for what will our deaths be, when soon gods themselves shall fall."

Drawing the sword of the commanders from its sheath on her back, she thrust it into the air. The screams from below rose up to meet her.

"March for perdition. March for the end of days. For against our light gods and demons shall tremble, for today is the day all gods will shake in fear, for they know that the hour of their death fast approaches. March to the south, and from its rotting carcass create new life in the firestorm of their souls. March now! To WAR!"

Bellowing out an almighty war cry, it was taken up by the tens of thousands of warriors below. Clarke allowed herself a slight smile. Against the might below her the world itself would tremble. Against the might below her, all gods would die. 

The will of the Goddess would be done. Clarke would see it was so.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Aaaand...
> 
> Now I need to write the sequel. I'm sorry it is so long between installments- I've been very busy recently with end of year exams.
> 
> Nice little glut of character deaths. I have to say, I've wanted to write something in which Abby dies horribly for quite some time. Today is indeed the day.


End file.
